Rate My Professor Francesca Perugia

Dr Francesca Perugia serves as Senior Lecturer and Course Coordinator of the Urban and Regional Planning course in the School of Design and the Built Environment within the Faculty of Humanities at Curtin University. She earned her PhD from the University of Western Australia between 2013 and 2019, and a Bachelor of Architecture cum laude from the University of Florence. With 14 years of association with Curtin University, she initially contributed to developing online learning materials through Open Universities Australia before transitioning to full-time staff in 2021. Her professional background encompasses teaching associateships, advocacy roles in the European not-for-profit housing sector, and experience in the construction industry, complemented by insights into institutional and governmental processes for policy development and housing delivery.

Dr Perugia's research specializes in housing vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters, exploring community perceptions of risk, decision-making processes, and the integration of data for evidence-based policymaking to foster resilient housing solutions. She leads an Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI)-funded project on coordinating data and actors to mitigate natural hazards' impacts on housing, and contributed to a national AHURI enquiry on disaster risk and housing policy. Key publications include 'The attributes of social resilience: understanding refugees’ housing choices' (2022, Global Discourse), 'Inquiry into housing policy and disaster: better coordinating actors, responses and data' (2024), 'Enhancing experiences with digital technology to support neurodiversity in the built environment' (2024, Architectural Science Review), and 'Improving Australian climate change adaptation strategies: learning from international experience' (2026). In 2024, she co-received the WA Planning Excellence Award with colleagues Professor Steven Rowley and Associate Professor Mohammad Swapan for their work. Her research directly influences housing policy and sector practices, as evidenced by policymaker feedback on its practical application, and she engages in public discourse through lectures and contributions on climate-resilient housing.